On September 12, 2011 Dr. Jon Andrus - Deputy Director of PAHO - considered the major challenges posed by chronic diseases/NCDs in the region and talked about how PAHO will participate in the UN meetings, including Wellness Week and the High-Level Meetings, themselves. Dr. Andrus also introduced the Pan American Forum for Action on Chronic Diseases, which is intended to serve as a platform for coordinating government, private sector, and civil society action in advocating for greater awareness of chronic diseases/NCDs.